Paulie Malignaggi Says That Pacquiao Is the B Side and Should Agree to Floyd Mayweather’s Demands to Make the Fight Happen

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    Paulie-Malignaggi-Analyzes-Mayweather-vs-MaidanathumbnailFloyd Mayweather Jr. has been criticized for making the negotiation process with Pacquiao’s team much harder to overcome by trying to dictate certain terms. In a recent interview with Tha Boxing Voice, Paulie Malignaggi explained Mayweather’s current stature in boxing justifies the way he approaches the negotiation table with Pacquiao’s team.

    Malignaggi explained, “If anyone doesn’t understand boxing, there’s an A side and there’s a B side. You cannot tell me Mayweather is not the A side in this fight. He’s undefeated, he’s been a champion longer, he hasn’t been knocked out obviously because he’s undefeated. Pacquiao in this case is delivered as the B side. When you’re the B side you come in as the underdog. You have no say in the negotiations. You take what they give you, and you sign the contract. This is how boxing works. There’s nothing new about boxing negotiations. The A side calls the shots, Floyd is the A side, he calls the shots.”

    Malignaggi’s reiterates his point by drawing reference from his own experience of being on the B side when he was a fighter. He explained, “I was on the B side on the first part of my career when I was with Di Bella. I mean you don’t get to pick anything, that’s what the B side does. The B side shows up and tries to win when the politics aren’t in your favor.”

    Malignaggi believes the reason why Pacquiao’s team won’t subdue themselves to Mayweather’s demands is due the fact they want to optimize the amount of money earned in the fight because they think there won’t be a rematch. Malignaggi stated, “They are so adamant about [Mayweather’s demands] because they know they won’t win the fight, and it won’t be competitive.”

    Malignaggi supposes if Pacquiao’s team was truly confident in their fighter, they would be more lenient in Mayweather’s offers, and turn the tables around in a rematch where they will become the A side if victorious in their first bout. Malignaggi stated, “How do you not accept the terms go beat Floyd, and go say now you’re going to pay for all of that. Now in the rematch negotiations you are going to get it. How do you not go do that? Because you know yourself the fight is not competitive, there’s no other way.”